Finalists Announced for 2025 NCAA Division I Dave Williams Coach of the Year Award presented by Golf Pride Grips
CARLSBAD, Calif. – NCAA Division I finalists for the 2025 Dave Williams Award presented by Golf Pride Grips have been announced by the GCAA. The Williams Award honors the national coach of the year in NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, NJCAA Division I, and NJCAA Division II men’s golf.
The five finalists are Alan Bratton of Oklahoma State, Nick Clinard of Auburn, JC Deacon of Florida, Armen Kirakossian of UCLA, and Bowen Sargent of Virginia. The recipient will be announced on Tuesday, June 3.
Bratton has led second-ranked Oklahoma State to six wins, including their last four tournaments, and five other top-three finishes this season. While winning their 12th Big 12 Championship and being NCAA Urbana Regional Co-Champions, the Cowboys have been led on the course by 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup selections Ethan Fang and Preston Stout.
Clinard, the back-to-back Southeastern Conference (SEC) Coach of the Year, has guided top-ranked Auburn to five wins and six other top-three finishes in 2024-25. The NCAA Auburn Regional Champions by 27 strokes, the Tigers have been led on the course by five All-SEC performers, including First-Teamers Jackson Koivun, the back-to-back SEC Player of the Year and Arnold Palmer Cup selection, and Brendan Valdes.
Deacon and the Gators have compiled three wins, including the NCAA Bremerton Regional and SEC Championship, and top-five finishes in all but one tournament this season. Ranked seventh via Scoreboard powered by Clippd, Florida has been led on the course by All-SEC honorees Ian Gilligan, Jack Turner, a Team USA selection for the 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup, and Zack Swanwick.
In just his third season in Westwood, Kirakossian has sparked UCLA to three wins, including the Big Ten Championship in their first year as a member, and four other top-three finishes. The Bruins swept the Big Ten’s individual awards, with Kirakossian as Big Ten Coach of the Year, 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup selection Pablo Ereño as unanimous Big Ten Player of the Year, and Baylor Larrabee as Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Sargent has led Virginia to two wins and five other top-three finishes in 2024-25. The 10th-ranked Cavaliers won their first ACC Championship as well as the season-opening Inverness Intercollegiate, and was the NCAA Reno Regional runner-up behind individual champion Paul Chang. They have been led on the course by two-time PING First Team All-American Ben James and top-100 golfers Bryan Lee and Chang.
All five finalists are coaching at the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., beginning today.
About Golf Pride Grips
For over seven decades, we’ve been the global leader in golf grip innovation and technology, from the invention of the slip-on grip to groundbreaking advancements in cord with our new Brushed Cotton Technology (BCT®) to the introduction of the hybrid category of grips. Today, Golf Pride® has laid claim to more major wins than any other grip company. More than 80% of Tour professionals choose to play our grips and not one is paid to do so. And in this age of multi-million dollar endorsement deals, that’s the strongest endorsement of all. So, whether you’re a Tour pro playing a major, a rising amateur, or an everyday golfer, you can rest assured knowing you’re playing the #1 Grip in Golf. To learn more about Golf Pride®, go to golfpride.com.